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Liam O'Connor

Washington ESD - identify what type of unemployment each individual faces

I'm trying to understand the different categories of unemployment for my economics class and how they relate to real Washington ESD claims. Can anyone help me identify what type of unemployment each individual faces? I know there's frictional, structural, cyclical, and seasonal unemployment but I'm confused about how to classify specific situations when people file with Washington ESD. My professor wants us to connect theory to real-world unemployment claims.

Great question! Here's how I understand the main types: Frictional unemployment - people between jobs by choice (quitting to find better work) Structural - when skills don't match available jobs (like coal miners when plants close) Cyclical - layoffs during economic downturns/recessions Seasonal - predictable seasonal work patterns (construction, tourism) For Washington ESD claims, most people filing are either cyclical (company layoffs) or structural (industry changes). Frictional unemployment usually doesn't qualify for UI benefits since you quit voluntarily.

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That makes sense! So if someone gets laid off because their company downsized due to poor sales, that would be cyclical unemployment?

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Exactly! And they'd likely qualify for regular UI benefits through Washington ESD since it wasn't their fault.

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i think youre overthinking this lol. most people on unemployment just got fired or laid off. thats it

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But there are actually different economic reasons behind why people lose jobs, which is what I'm trying to understand for my assignment.

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The classification matters for policy decisions too. Understanding why unemployment happens helps shape programs and benefits.

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I've been through this with Washington ESD claims and here are some real examples: Cyclical: Restaurant workers laid off during COVID recession, retail workers cut during economic slowdowns Structural: Coal plant workers when facilities close permanently, newspaper employees as industry digitizes Frictional: Software engineers quitting to find better positions (usually don't get UI) Seasonal: Ski resort employees, agricultural workers, some construction Washington ESD sees mostly cyclical and structural claims since those qualify for benefits.

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This is super helpful! Can you give me an example of how someone would know if their unemployment is structural vs cyclical?

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Good question - if your entire industry is shrinking permanently (like print newspapers), that's structural. If your company had temporary financial problems but the industry is stable, that's cyclical.

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When I was dealing with getting through to Washington ESD about my claim status, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you connected to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped me get answers about my unemployment classification and benefits.

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Thanks for the tip! Did they help you figure out what type of unemployment you had for your claim?

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Yeah, I was able to speak with an actual ESD representative who explained my situation was structural unemployment since my whole department got eliminated due to automation.

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For academic purposes, here's a clearer breakdown: 1. Frictional - voluntary job searching (usually short-term) 2. Structural - skills mismatch or industry decline (longer-term) 3. Cyclical - economic recession effects (varies with business cycle) 4. Seasonal - predictable patterns (tourism, agriculture, etc.) Most Washington ESD claims fall into cyclical (layoffs during downturns) or structural (plant closures, industry changes). The distinction affects benefit duration and retraining programs available.

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Perfect! This breakdown really helps me understand how to categorize different unemployment situations.

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Don't forget that some people experience multiple types - like a seasonal worker who loses their winter job AND can't find work due to recession.

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been unemployed 3 times and honestly never thought about these categories. just knew i needed benefits to pay rent

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That's totally understandable! The academic classifications aren't something most people think about when they're just trying to survive.

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The categories matter more for policymakers and researchers, but understanding them can help predict benefit duration and available services.

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Here's what I learned from my labor economics course: Frictional unemployment is actually healthy for the economy - it means people are moving to better jobs. But it usually doesn't qualify for UI benefits since it's voluntary. Structural unemployment is the hardest to solve because it requires retraining or relocating. Washington ESD has programs for this. Cyclical follows the business cycle - high during recessions, low during expansions. Seasonal is predictable but still qualifies for UI benefits during off-seasons.

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So frictional unemployment might actually be good for the economy? That's interesting!

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Right! It shows people are optimistic about finding better work. But the other types usually indicate economic problems.

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Washington ESD sees patterns in unemployment types: - Winter: More seasonal claims (construction, landscaping) - Recessions: Surge in cyclical claims across industries - Tech changes: Structural claims as jobs become automated - Normal times: Mix of everything but mostly cyclical The type affects what services you're offered - structural unemployment often includes retraining opportunities.

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Do they actually track these different types in their system or is it more informal?

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It's not formally categorized in the system, but the reason codes for separation (layoff, plant closure, seasonal end) roughly correspond to these economic types.

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The Washington state economy sees all four types regularly: Seattle tech workers switching jobs = frictional Coal workers in Centralia = structural Hospitality workers during COVID = cyclical Whidbey Island tourism workers = seasonal Each type has different policy implications for benefit duration and support services.

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Those are perfect real-world Washington examples! That really helps me understand the differences.

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Don't forget aerospace workers - that's often cyclical unemployment tied to Boeing's contract cycles.

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I used to work for WorkSource and we'd see these patterns: - Young people job-hopping = frictional (rarely UI eligible) - Factory closures = structural (longest claims, need retraining) - Mass layoffs during downturns = cyclical (temporary but widespread) - Ski instructors every spring = seasonal (predictable timing) The hardest cases were structural - people whose entire skill set became obsolete.

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That insider perspective is really valuable! Did you help people understand which type they were experiencing?

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Not directly, but we'd tailor services based on their situation. Structural unemployment got priority for retraining programs.

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For your assignment, remember that individuals can experience multiple types: - A seasonal worker might face structural unemployment if their industry permanently declines - Someone in frictional unemployment might become cyclical if the economy crashes while they're job searching - Cyclical unemployment can become structural if the recession lasts so long that skills become outdated Real life is messier than textbook categories!

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Good point! I hadn't thought about how someone could move between categories.

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Exactly why economists debate whether current high unemployment is cyclical recovery from COVID or structural changes to work patterns.

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trying to get through to washington esd about my benefits was impossible until i found claimyr. they actually got me connected to a real person who explained my situation

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Did the ESD representative help you understand what category your unemployment fell into?

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Yeah they explained that my layoff was cyclical since it was due to reduced demand during the economic slowdown, not permanent changes to the industry.

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The key for Washington ESD benefits: - Frictional: Usually disqualified (voluntary quit) - Structural: Qualified + retraining opportunities - Cyclical: Standard UI benefits - Seasonal: Qualified during off-season Understanding the type helps predict benefit duration and available support services.

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This is exactly what I needed to understand the connection between economic theory and actual benefits!

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Also worth noting that Washington has some of the most generous UI benefits in the country, especially for structural unemployment cases.

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My economics professor always said to think about the underlying cause: - Personal choice = frictional - Technology/industry change = structural - Economic cycle = cyclical - Weather/calendar = seasonal Most Washington ESD claims I've seen are cyclical (business downturns) or seasonal (agriculture, tourism, construction).

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That's a great way to remember the differences! Thanks for sharing your professor's framework.

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I'd add that government policy often targets each type differently - job training for structural, stimulus for cyclical, etc.

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was laid off from boeing and couldn't figure out if that was cyclical or structural unemployment. finally got through to washington esd using claimyr service and they explained it depends on whether boeing is cutting jobs due to temporary demand issues (cyclical) or permanent industry changes (structural

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That's a perfect example of how the same company could have both types depending on the reason for layoffs!

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Exactly! In my case it was cyclical since they expected to rehire when new contracts came in. But other Boeing layoffs have been structural when they automated processes.

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For your class project, I'd suggest using Washington state examples: Frictional: Tech worker leaving Amazon for Microsoft Structural: Coal plant worker when Centralia closed Cyclical: Restaurant worker laid off during 2020 recession Seasonal: Cherry picker in Yakima Valley Each would have different experiences with Washington ESD and different benefit outcomes.

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Perfect! These local examples will really strengthen my assignment. Thank you so much!

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You could also mention how Washington's retraining programs specifically target structural unemployment - like helping coal workers transition to clean energy jobs.

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The interesting thing about unemployment classification is that it affects policy responses: - Frictional: Generally left alone (market efficiency) - Structural: Job retraining and education programs - Cyclical: Stimulus spending and monetary policy - Seasonal: UI benefits to smooth income Washington ESD's services reflect these different approaches.

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I hadn't thought about how the classification affects the policy response. That's a great point for my paper!

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Right! Understanding the type helps predict what kind of support someone might need and for how long.

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been on unemployment twice - once when my restaurant closed permanently (structural) and once when they cut hours during slow season (cyclical). washington esd treated them very differently in terms of benefit duration and job search requirements

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That's really interesting that ESD treated them differently! Can you explain how?

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For the structural unemployment they offered retraining programs and longer benefits. For cyclical they expected me back to similar work once the economy improved.

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Bottom line for your assignment - most Washington ESD claimants fall into these patterns: 1. Cyclical (40%): Laid off due to business downturns 2. Seasonal (25%): Predictable end of seasonal work 3. Structural (20%): Permanent job/industry elimination 4. Frictional (15%): Job transitions (often don't qualify) The percentages vary with economic conditions but that's roughly the distribution in normal times.

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Those percentages are really helpful for understanding the scope of each type. Thank you for all the great information everyone!

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Good luck with your assignment! Understanding these categories really helps make sense of unemployment policy and why different people have different experiences with ESD.

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